Meghan Markle’s wedding dress designer has gone from working on royal weddings to everyday bags for the masses.
Clare Waight Keller — the former artistic director of Givenchy and Chloé, as well as the designer behind the Duchess of Sussex’s Givenchy wedding gown — has partnered with the Japanese clothing brand to create a $40 bag and other products.
The bag, called the drawstring bag on Uniqlo’s website, comes in four colors. With its two-way design, the clutch can either be worn as a larger tote bag or cinched in the sides to create a smaller, dumpling-shaped bag.
As it is made with waterproof material, the accessory can be worn in any season, rain or shine.
Based on 17 reviews, the bag currently has an average rating of 4.3 stars out of a possible five, with many reviewers appreciating how lightweight the bag is and its versatility to be dressed up or down.
The new collection will include pieces for spring and summer, designed to work for any occasion, including knitwear, sweats, dresses, and shoes.
Keller has previously opened up about her ongoing relationship with Meghan since designing her dress for her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
Speaking at the 2023 Bazaar At Work Summit, Keller detailed what it was like designing a dress for such a large occasion. “It was just a pleasure to create in this very, very private way. It was just the two of us for so long, and it became this very personal girlfriend relationship,” Keller said at the time.
The extravagant exchange of vows between Meghan and Prince Harry took place on May 19, 2018. The two said “I do” inside Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel, enveloped by decadent white roses and masses of people waiting eagerly outside.
The dress’s design featured a bateau neckline, three-quarter sleeves and a sculpted waistline made from thick woven silk.
Later that year, Keller said it was an “extraordinary moment” to make Meghan’s dress seen by millions.
“It was an incredible thing to be part of, such a historic moment and, in fact, to have the opportunity to work with her.”
Both the bride and groom’s ceremony garb were displayed inside the castle for the brand new “A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex” 2022 exhibit. In tandem with the archive pieces, voice recordings from Meghan and Harry were featured, in which they spoke about the process of bringing their visions to life.
“I wanted a female designer, that was very important, I wanted a British designer because I wanted to embrace my new home in that way,” Meghan told Caroline de Guitaut, the exhibit curator. “I wanted [a dress] that felt reflective of the world in a way.”
